There are a number of enzymes which effect the breakdown of structural proteins and which are structurally related metalloproteinases. These include human skin fibroblast collagenase, human skin fibroblast gelatinase, human sputum collagenase and gelatinase, and human stromelysin. These are zinc-containing metalloproteinase enzymes, as are the angiotensin-converting enzymes and the enkephalinases.
Collagenase and related enzymes are important in mediating the symptomology of a number of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (Mullins, D.E., et al., Biochim. Biophys Acta (1983) 695:117-214; the metastasis of tumor cells, (ibid.), Broadhurst, M.J., et al. EP application 276436 (1987), Reich, R., et al., Cancer Res (1988) 48:3307-3312); and various ulcerated conditions. Ulcerative conditions can result in the cornea as the result of alkali burns or as a result of infection by Pseudomonas aeruqinosa, Acanthamoeba, Herpes simplex and vaccinia viruses. Other conditions characterized by unwanted matrix metalloprotease activity include periodontal disease and epidermolysis bullosa.
In view of the involvement of collagenase in a number of disease conditions, attempts have been made to prepare inhibitors to this enzyme. A number of such inhibitors are disclosed in EP applications 126,974 (published 1984) and 159,396 (published 1985) assigned to G.D. Searle. These inhibitors are secondary amines which contain oxo substituents at the 2-position in both substituents bonded to the amino nitrogen.
More closely related to the compounds of the present invention are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,361 and 4,743,587, also assigned to G.D. Searle. These compounds are hydroxylamine dipeptide derivatives which contain, as one member of the dipeptide residue, a tyrosine or derivatized tyrosine residue or certain analogs thereof.
Tryptophan is also known to be therapeutic in various conditions, some of which may involve collagenase (see, for example, JP 57/058626; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,342; 4,291,048). Also, inhibitors of bacterial collagenases have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,034.
It has now been found that the compounds described below have superior inhibiting activity with respect to matrix metalloproteases. The invention compounds add to the repertoire of agents available for the treatment of conditions and diseases which are characterized by unwanted activity by the class of proteins which destroy structural proteins and designated "matrix metalloprotease" herein.